In the past few years, many people have benefited from the innovation of apps and social media tools to improve mental healthcare and bring it to more people. One new app called Huddle came out of the experience of its founder, Dan Blackman, in the small town where he grew up.
In Blackman’s hometown, everybody knew each other. This type of tightly knit community can provide great support on its own. On the other hand, if you’re afraid of your small community judging you, it can make it harder to ask for the help you need. Blackman’s father suffered from addiction to alcohol and didn’t get the help he needed due to the stigma in his community.
So Blackman invented Huddle.
This app allows users to join virtual support groups and communicate with other members by posting and responding to videos. If they’re super concerned about people knowing who they are, Huddle allows them to blur out their face, create an anonymous username, and enable software that changes the sound of their voice.
These features allow Huddle’s users to discuss their feelings “face to face” without showing others their identity. They also allow other users to see that they aren’t alone in facing the problems and questions they have.
Huddle has the potential to bring community and connection to teens who worry about being recognized when they share their personal stories of mental health difficulties and seek help.
Want to learn more about Huddle? Watch this YouTube video or check out this article.
Would you recommend Huddle to your child? If so, what are the features that attract you? If not, why not? Tell us what you think below.
